Poughkeepsie Bridge - Walkway Over the Hudson

[Benjamin Maggi]

Of course there are attorneys everywhere just waiting for something awlful to happen so that they can get a piece of the action (money). Noel Weaver

Even more disturbing:

1.) That some people would actually have the audacity to sue for money if a large, multi-ton steel structure- under the ownership and control of a large governmental entity with deep pockets- collapsed, bent, or otherwise injured them due to neglect of maintenance or other warnings of dangers.

2.) That some courts would ignore Defendants' Motions to Dismiss the case on grounds of lack of standing and instead would rule that the case could go forward on the merits of the Claimants' arguments- solely because they think that the Claimants were actually injured and should deserve some sort of compensation because of it.

3.) That some attorneys won't accept cases based on principal even though it might stretch out for years, resulting in their incurring of hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs without any guarantees of recovery, which could ultimately drain their financial resources, reducing the stability of their law firm, and in the process cause them to be unable to represent other needy clients and therefore actually let money (usually 1/3 of the total settlement) dictate their business practices.

These three groups of people are even worse then the attorneys who are just "waiting around for something awful to happen so that they can get a piece of the action (money.)" Yah, those attorneys who are just out for money are real Ambulance-chasing pirates!

[Noel Weaver]

There are some attorneys out whom have caused great damage to the railroad industry and to our hobby as well. Un-necessary lawsuits have caused at least a fair share of the
problems that railfans and railfan organizations have encountered in recent years. I am still getting letters from attorneys trying to get me to sue the railroad for hearing loss,
asbestos problems and other things. This even 12 years after my retirement. I don't know just where they have gotten my name and address from but I do not like it one bit.
One thing I have always believed in and that is that attorneys thrive on trouble, problems and misery, somebody else's that is.
Noel Weaver

[Otto Vondrak]

I think we have thoroughly explored the issue of parking.

[Noel Weaver]

I think we have thoroughly explored the issue of parking.

I am going down to Highland from Valatie (my August HQ) and will try to post something constructive after Saturday.
Noel Weaver

[photorailfan]

I was there at the bridge last weekend after catching a southbound ethanol train at kingston. I figure drive down 9w to chase it and shoot it from the bridge. It was my first experience there. There is a very small parking lot at the enterence but you have to pay 5 dollars for four hours and they use what looks like a mail box with tiny slits for you to fold and stuff bills into. The road that passes this lot though was filled with cars on one side. I would think then that there is plenty of parking so long as you get there early.

[nysw3636]

The bridge over Mile Hill Road is now finished and open to vehicular traffic. I've been told that work on the rail trail is ahead of schedule.

[Noel Weaver]

I made it down to walk the bridge on Saturday, August 14th. The weather was absolutely ideal for this activity with temps. around 80, partly cloudy to sunny skies, low humidity
and a nice breeze. We arrived on the Highland side about 12:00 NOON and found a parking spot on the side of Havilland Road right next to the entrance of the bridge, lucked
out I guess. There was parking spots available in the $5.00 lots on both the Highland and Poughkeepsie sides. I think the parking is probably better than in the past by quite a
bit. The walk was very enjoyable but I thought I really accomplished something for myself by walking the round trip, about two and a half miles.
We saw three trains on the West Shore, several Amtrak trains on the Hudson and Metro-North in the Poughkeepsie Station.
Food, we ate at the Marriner's but I was somewhat dissappointed, they had a wedding party that afternoon and service was slow and I don't think the food was up to their
normal quality either. The setting there is outstanding though and we were not really in a hurry anyway.
Noel Weaver

[nysw3636]

Thought some would like to know that the rail trail from the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge to former end of the Hudson Valley Rail Trail is now paved. Although not officially opened until October 2nd, people have been using it (but not encouraged to do so)....

[nysw3636]

"Restored railroad signal blinks anew at rail trail"

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/arti ... rail-trail

[DonPevsner]

Readers should be pleased to learn that the New York State Bridge Authority took legal title to the entire Poughkeepsie Bridge on December 22, 2010. This Authority owns and operates every Hudson River crossing from the Bear Mountain Bridge to the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, near Catskill. The property was conveyed by The Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge Company, Inc.: a New York nonprofit corporation that was used by the Walkway Over The Hudson group to hold title since June 4, 1998. Of key importance: there has been little or no liability insurance on the Bridge since CONRAIL disposed of it to a convicted felon on November 2, 1984; and no "deep pockets" for required long-term maintenance. It is just damned lucky that no major accident transpired during this 26-year period.
[SEE: http://www.nysba.state.ny.us . ALSO SEE: http://www.walkway.org for December 22, 2010 press release by the New York State Bridge Authority, under "Press Releases". ]

[Gilbert B Norman]

May I add a link to material I posted over at the New Haven RR Forum?

viewtopic.php?f=91&t=68552&p=811225#p811225

[Noel Weaver]

I am bringing his one back with a link to a nice piece about the Walkway over the Hudson in today's Albany Times Union. The link follows, enjoy the good reading and photos.

http://www.timesunion.com/living/articl ... php#page-2

Noel Weaver

[RussNelson]

I made an overlay picture that shows the WOtH, with the rails overlaid:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/russnelson/5690249423/

[Jeff Smith]

Site admin note and apologies to moderator; I merged in some old topics to go along with current news.

Walkway Purchases Final Piece of Rail Trail

Brief, fair-use quote:

Walkers, bikers and skaters have reason to celebrate: CSX Railroad will sell Walkway Over the Hudson several pieces of land that will connect the walkway and the Dutchess Rail Trail -- providing a recreational resource envisioned for years stretching from East Fishkill north to the City of Poughkeepsie and into Ulster County.

The acquisition of the rail bed and properties in the city and town of Poughkeepsie provides a long-sought link between the walkway and trail.

[Jeff Smith]

Rail bed will link to NY's Walkway Over the Hudson

The deal's closed:

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (AP) -- Dutchess County has obtained a stretch of former rail bed that will connect the popular Walkway Over the Hudson with a local trail.

The Poughkeepsie Journal reports (http://pojonews.co/MfpDXK ) that the Walkway's nonprofit organization paid CSX railroad just over $1 million last week for the eight-tenths of a mile stretch of the rail bed in the city of Poughkeepsie. The acquisition will connect the Walkway with the Dutchess Rail Trail.

Walkway Over the Hudson has donated the rail trail to the county. Once the trail is paved, it will be part of a 12-mile trail system in Dutchess County.

The former Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge opened to the public in 2009 as the Walkway Over the Hudson State Park. It attracts nearly a half million visitors a year.